The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium hybrid, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, more specifically as Pelargonium hortorum times Pelargonium tongaense, hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Cante Pinka.’
‘Cante Pinka’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Cante Pinka’ has red-purple color, semi-upright, outwardly spreading and mounding habit, dense and freely basal branching habit, dark green foliage, heat tolerance, and good edema resistance.
‘Cante Pinka’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The female parent was an unpatented Pelargonium interspecific hybrid seedling identified as ‘9994-1’ with coral color. ‘9994-1’ has darker foliage, leggy habit, few flowers, and less vigor than ‘Cante Pinka.’
The male parent ‘Cante Pinka’ was an unpatented Pelargonium interspecific hybrid seedling identified as ‘9903-2’ with pink color. ‘9903-2’ has a lighter pink color, darker foliage, and less vigor than ‘Cante Pinka.’
‘Cante Pinka’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in October 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The pollination was made in February 2005 and the seed sowing in August 2005.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Cante Pinka’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the October 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in October 2005 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Cante Pinka’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Cante Pinka’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Dec. 24, 2007. ‘Cante Pinka’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.